A public inquiry into the E.coli outbreak has been laumched following the outcome of a police investigation into the death of five-year-old Mason Jones.

The National Assembly inquiry will investigate the E-coli outbreak in South Wales in September 2005, but it could not progress while police were still investigating the possibility of a prosecution over the death of Mason Jones.

Last week it was decided there was not enough evidence for manslaughter charges.

But now that the police investigation has ended, the public inquiry can now take place.

Prosecutions have been brought by the local authorities against the butchers at the centre of the outbreak, and a committal hearing is due to take place on March 15.

Chairman of the inquiry, Professor Hugh Pennington, said: 'The police investigation has affected the speed with which the inquiry could move forward but it was important that it was allowed to run its course.

'The inquiry has been able to move forward without risking prejudice to that investigation, and my team has already collected a wide range of evidence. However, more will now be within our reach.

'I expect that in due course the evidence collected by the police will be handed over to the inquiry. I am sure that will assist me considerably in my task and should make up for some of the delay.'

It is hoped the inquiry will be in a position to hold its hearings before the end of the year.

Mr Pennington continued: 'The dates on which they take place will ultimately depend on the speed at which the local authority prosecutions move forward and the volume of evidence that the inquiry needs to consider in order to get to the very bottom of the matters in question, something to which I am totally committed.'